There was plenty to celebrate at Aria Court this week as the team came together to recognise the home’s recent Good CQC rating across all five key areas.
The inspection assessed Aria Court against the five areas used by the Care Quality Commission (CQC): Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. Achieving a Good outcome across every area reflects the commitment of the whole team to providing high-quality, person-centred care and creating an environment where residents can feel safe, supported and at home.
For Athena Care Homes, achieving a good rating is an important milestone, but it is not the destination. It reflects a culture where teams continually look at what they do, listen, learn and find ways to make life even better for the people they care for.
As Athena’s Founder, Mala Agarwal, said: “It has been a real team effort, and we would like to thank each and every one of you for your hard work and dedication.”
Lorna Rose, CEO, echoed this ambition, adding: “Now that we have reached Good, we don’t stop. We keep going, keep improving and next time we will reach Outstanding.”
Her words capture an important part of Athena’s approach: always striving to be better while never losing sight of what matters most – the individual.
At the heart of Athena’s vision is the ambition to be the first choice for high-quality residential, nursing and dementia care. That means creating homes where care is about more than meeting needs; it is about recognising each resident as an individual, celebrating who they are and making meaningful moments together.
The CQC result is therefore something for the entire Aria Court community to be proud of. Strong standards across all five areas help provide residents and their families with confidence that care is being delivered in a safe, caring and responsive environment, while the team continues to look for opportunities to improve.
Aria Court Manager, Sowmiya Chandran, said she was incredibly proud of the team and their hard work, adding that the celebration was a special opportunity to recognise their dedication to providing the very best care and support for Aria Court’s residents.
And, of course, a milestone like this deserved a proper celebration.
Athena’s Head of Culinary, Simon, and Lisa, Head Chef at Aria Court, prepared a fantastic buffet for the team, complete with a homemade celebration cake. Staff enjoyed the opportunity to come together, share food and celebrate their collective achievement, alongside personal messages from Mala and Lorna.
The celebrations continued with residents enjoying an afternoon of music from Emily Blake, bringing everyone together to mark the occasion.
Because at Athena, making moments together is at the heart of what we do. Whether it is achieving an important professional milestone or simply enjoying music, food and friendship, it is the people and the moments shared with them that make a care home feel like home.
Aria Court’s Good CQC rating reflects the dedication, compassion and teamwork of everyone who contributes to life at the home. The team can rightly celebrate how far they have come, but, as Lorna says, they are already looking ahead.
